Yogurt May Reduce Gastritis and Ulcers

Results of the first human clinical studies confirm that a new yogurt fights the bacteria that cause gastritis and stomach ulcers with what researchers describe as almost vaccine-like effects. Japanese scientists will report this news today at the 237th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Researchers have long known that yogurt, a fermented milk product containing live bacteria, is a healthy source of calcium, protein, and other nutrients. Some brands of yogurt are now made with certain types of bacteria called “probiotics.” The new yogurt represents a unique approach to fighting stomach ulcers, which affect 25 million people in the United States alone, and is part of a growing “functional food” market that now generates $60 billion in sales annually.

“With this new yogurt, people can now enjoy the taste of yogurt while preventing or eliminating the bacteria that cause stomach ulcers,” says study coordinator Hajime Hatta, PhD, a chemist at Kyoto Women’s University in Kyoto, Japan.